DOES GOD EXIST? TODAY

September 30, 2026September 29, 2026

Profanity Is Increasing

“All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been named by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:7-8). You have probably noticed that profanity is increasing in our society today.

An article in The Week (August 14, 2026) reported that the public use of profanity is increasing among politicians—something that should be obvious. Politicians have used public profanity in 692 instances, and all but 87 have occurred in the last decade. In the entertainment industry, profanity has skyrocketed. You now hear the “F word” in popular music, on TV, and in many movies. In the emails I received this morning, that word was used 72 times. Why does a person use the “F word”?

Reason #1 – The person is unsure about their position on the subject at hand.

Reason #2 – The person is verbally challenged and doesn’t know enough words to express their feelings.

Reason #3 – The person wants to get an emotional response from you.

Proverbs 12:18 says, “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” James 1:19 tells us, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.”

When I was an atheist living with an atheist family and actively involved in organized atheism, profanity was commonplace. When I became a Christian, I was disowned by my parents and struggled not to use profanity around others. Seven years in the army didn’t help my speech habits. When I started teaching, I couldn’t use profanity around students. I know from personal experience how hard it is not to use profanity. Being around girls used to motivate me not to cuss, but now the girls are using profanity—even the “F word.”

As profanity is increasing, why not stand out from the crowd? Show you aren’t verbally challenged by finding words that let you vent without being profane. It will improve your attitude and how you feel about yourself, and it will earn greater respect from those around you.

September 29, 2026September 28, 2026

The Size of Animals in the Fossil Record

One question better answered by creation by God than by other explanations is why animals were so big in the past and so small today. In Smithsonian Magazine for September/October 2026, Dr. Floyd Shockley, the collections manager of entomology at the National Museum of Natural History, gives the traditional explanation for the size of animals in the fossil record.

The data on this issue involves two things. One is the fact that the level of oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere was higher in the past than it is today (35% in the past as opposed to 21% today). The other is the fact that all major groups of animal life have become smaller today. We are all familiar with the fossil remains of huge dinosaurs. Less publicized is the fact that insects were also huge compared to their relatives today. Is an animal’s size related to how much oxygen it breathes? If so, animals living at higher elevations should be smaller than those at lower elevations. That is simply not the case.

Size is more directly related to diet than to a 14% difference in oxygen levels. The ecology of various environments is also a factor. Habitat design involves interactions between plant and animal life. Scientists have conducted interesting experiments in which they tried to design a closed habitat that would last for many years. Without external interference from the scientists, those habitats have collapsed.

The size of animals in the fossil record shows great intelligence in how animal and plant sizes interact. God was preparing the planet for humans and the resources we would need. No single factor accounts for how life was created, and no chance process can explain the facts we see. It reminds us of Romans 1:20, which tells us that “…since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

September 28, 2026September 27, 2026

Rock Hyraxes Are Wise

These mammals are mentioned four times in the Bible and are widespread throughout central and southern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Although rock hyraxes (Procavia capensis) look like a larger guinea pig, they are not rodents. Surprisingly, it is more closely related to elephants.

Rock hyraxes average 20 inches (50 cm) long and weigh around 8.8 pounds (4 kg). They resemble rabbits, with short, rounded ears and no tail. They have four toes on each front foot and three on each back foot. Their toes have long, claw-like nails used for grooming and scratching. The bottoms of their feet have a rubbery texture that helps them climb steep rock surfaces and trees. Their sandy, tan color helps them blend into their desert environment.

Although rock hyraxes do not burrow, they inhabit abandoned aardvark and meerkat burrows. They live in colonies of about fifty in the natural crevices of boulders. The colony maintains a high level of hygiene, designating areas of the shelter as “latrines” for waste disposal. They are very active during the daytime, communicating with family members using many vocalizations.

Rock hyraxes forage for food as a group, using a sentry strategy. Members of the foraging party eat in a circle facing away from the group, giving them a clear view of their surroundings for any threats or predators. They play an ecosystem role as a food source for many predators and as seed dispersers. The rock hyrax could not perform its role as a seed disperser without its three-chambered stomach, which contains symbiotic bacteria that break down plant matter.

The Bible mentions rock hyraxes four times (translated as “coneys” in the King James Version). Leviticus and Deuteronomy list them as unclean animals that should not be eaten. Psalms 104:18 and Proverbs 30:26 say that they make their homes in the rocky cliffs. They find protection there, and for that, Proverbs 30:24 commends them for being wise.

September 23, 2026September 22, 2026

Sockeye Salmon Make an Incredible Journey

This salmon species is known for its bright red skin during the spawning season. Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) are native to the northern Pacific Ocean and the rivers that flow into it.

In the ocean, sockeye salmon don’t look like they do in spawning mode. Instead, they are a pale turquoise to deep blue, with silvery hues on the belly. They don’t begin to change color until the migration season. The change begins when they swim into the freshwater rivers and streams where they hatched. Eventually, the salmon’s body becomes bright red, with a green head.

The life cycle of sockeye salmon is hard to explain by natural selection. Juvenile sockeye are hatched in freshwater, where they remain for up to three years. Eventually, the fish decides it’s time to journey to the sea, where it will grow larger. It will follow the river downstream up to 1,000 miles (1,600 km) to reach the ocean. We don’t know how the fish know when the time is right or why they feel the urge to relocate, but they are programmed to carry out this incredible journey.

The sockeye stays in the ocean for one to four years, growing rapidly and feeding mainly on zooplankton. After some time, something triggers the fish’s brain, telling it to leave the ocean and swim upstream to the place of its origin. As the journey begins, the fish will stop eating. If it completes the journey, it spawns and dies there. Many do not make it because, along the way, they become food for predators such as bears, or even humans. Although sockeye salmon are among the smaller of the seven Pacific salmon species, humans prize their meat.

Sockeye salmon are endangered in some areas, while plentiful in others. In the regions where these salmon are abundant, they significantly influence their ecosystem. Salmon runs bring vast amounts of marine nutrients from the ocean to rivers, sustaining a healthy ecosystem. As evidence of how God has given living creatures the ability to adapt, some salmon do not migrate. Instead, they spend their entire lives in freshwater lakes, where they are known as kokanee salmon.

If evolution is directed by survival of the fittest, why would sockeye salmon make the journey to the ocean and back to their place of origin? Their return journey benefits the ecosystem and their predators, but not the salmon themselves. They die whether they serve as food for bears or complete the journey. Who programmed into these fish the ability to find the place where they hatched? These beautiful fish play a critical role in their habitat and demonstrate a designed system that requires a Designer.

Click HERE for information on Atlantic salmon.

September 22, 2026September 21, 2026

Optical Illusions and the Equinox

As this post goes out, it’s the fall equinox in the Northern Hemisphere (spring in the Southern Hemisphere), arriving at 8:05 pm EDT on September 22 (1205 GMT on September 23). “Equinox” comes from Latin and means “equal night.” However, even today, daylight and darkness are not equal in length. Even more surprising, sunset and sunrise are optical illusions.

Sunrise is the moment the first speck of the Sun becomes visible above the horizon—not the whole Sun or even half of it. Likewise, sunset is when the last speck of the Sun disappears below the horizon, not just part of it. However, when we see the Sun rising, it is still below the horizon, and when we see it set, it is already below the horizon. This discrepancy happens because, when the Sun is near the horizon, Earth’s atmosphere bends the light, creating an optical illusion. As the Sun appears closer to the horizon, refraction increases, making the bottom of the sphere look slightly flattened. The good thing is that sunlight refraction in our atmosphere gives us a little more light at both sunset and sunrise.

Even after the Sun disappears below the horizon, the atmosphere gives us what we call “bright” twilight, so we can enjoy a little more time outdoors until the top edge of the Sun is six degrees below the horizon. Even then, we experience “astronomical” twilight until the Sun’s rim is 18 degrees below the horizon. At that time, the sky in dark-sky areas becomes completely dark. Unfortunately, for those of us who like to observe the night sky, artificial light has given us light pollution in all but a few rural areas.

The bottom line is that when the equinox occurs, we still have more light than total darkness. And we can’t forget that “God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night” (Genesis 1:16). We refer to the Sun rising and setting, even though we know the Sun remains still and Earth rotates. The Bible repeatedly uses the same language as we are earthly observers. In fact, the creation story in Genesis is written from the perspective of an observer on Earth, because that made it easy for even ancient people to understand.

Psalms 19 begins with, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Poetically, the psalmist David wrote that the Sun is “like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber” and “a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other…” We still speak of the Sun rising, moving across the sky, and setting, even though we could say that is an optical illusion. As the equinox is upon us, we can thank God that we have predictable days and seasons on this planet in a finely tuned system, not an optical illusion.

Reference: space.com HERE and HERE

September 21, 2026September 20, 2026

Sea Turtle Migrations

Leatherback sea turtles are the world’s largest reptiles, weighing up to 1,500 pounds. They are one of only seven sea turtle species alive today, and all seven are endangered. More species existed in the past, but humans are their greatest enemy. Humans threaten them through habitat destruction, poaching for meat and eggs, accidental capture in fishing gear, and plastic pollution. Why do sea turtles migrate, and why do we need sea turtle migrations?

Most people know that sea turtles migrate thousands of miles but don’t understand why. According to Darwinian evolutionary theory, natural selection preserves the creatures that survive best. It’s survival of the fittest without regard for other species. However, migrating thousands of miles does not benefit sea turtles as much as it does other creatures and plants in the ocean environment. That indicates a designed system. Why would sea turtles expend the energy to travel thousands of miles when they could survive in a limited area?

Sea turtle migrations help keep ocean environments healthy. Their migrations move nutrients and sustain food webs across vast areas. As they consume resources and recycle nutrients, sea turtles benefit many species of fish, plus crabs, shrimp, and mollusks. Their grazing on seagrass prevents it from becoming overgrown, benefiting the invertebrates that thrive in healthy seagrass. That, in turn, benefits the fish that feed on the invertebrates, which, in turn, benefits herons, egrets, terns, and gulls that feed on the fish.

Coastal vegetation and dune ecosystems benefit from the nutrients sea turtle migrations leave on widely scattered beaches. Migration between regions transfers nutrients over long distances, supporting plankton and small fish that whales depend on. Sea turtle migrations show a designed system, not evolutionary chance. Furthermore, fossil evidence suggests that sea turtles did not evolve from other creatures. Sea turtles have always been sea turtles, and we can thank the Creator for giving us these keystone creatures that deserve our protection.

References: scienceandculture.com and iere.org

September 16, 2026September 16, 2026

The Biblical Flood Story

We received a question about kangaroos on Noah’s ark. I want to share my response here because others probably have similar questions about the biblical flood story.

I think there were no kangaroos on the ark. Let me explain. The biblical evidence indicates that the flood was universal, covering the populated Earth, but not global, covering the entire globe. “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5). For that reason, God decided to send a flood to destroy the evil people, but He spared Noah and his family.

God would have had no reason to flood Australia, the North and South Poles, or the top of Mount Everest, because no people lived there. You can read the biblical flood story in Genesis chapters 6-8. After the flood, Genesis 9 tells us that God made a covenant with Noah and promised, “never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth” (verse 11). Noah’s obligation in this covenant is summarized in Genesis 9:7: “As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”

Noah’s descendants failed to carry out their obligation in the covenant. Genesis 11 shows that they went only to the plain of Babylon (Shinar) and devised a plan to glorify themselves instead of obeying God’s instructions. “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:4).

Because of their defiance, God was forced to find a solution while keeping His promise to never again destroy the human population with a flood. Instead, God confounded them with different languages, ending their plans and causing them to follow His instructions by scattering them “over the face of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:9).

When you examine the biblical flood story, you can see that God had no reason to flood the entire globe, since humans were limited to a relatively small geographical area. Then why does God say in Genesis 6:17, “I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.” He does not mean every creature literally, because He commanded Noah, “You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you” (Genesis 6:19). He also did not refer to every fish and sea creature. He told Noah to take seven (or seven pairs) of every kind of clean animal (Genesis 7:2) so they could be used as sacrifices to God after the flood, as we see in Genesis 8:20.

There would not have been enough water on Earth to cover the entire globe above the height of Mount Everest. There was no need to flood areas where n o humans lived or to kill all the animals on the planet. Then why do cultures around the world have flood legends? Every person on Earth is descended from the family that survived the flood, so the story has been passed down in every culture, with modifications. The biblical flood story is the accurate account of the event that changed the entire world. In His mercy, after the flood, God gave humanity another chance while keeping His promise. He scattered the people around the globe by confounding their languages, preventing a corrupt one-world government.

Even today, God in His mercy offers each person on Earth a second chance through the sacrifice of God’s only Son. (See John 3:16-17.) Be wise and don’t pass up the grace God offers.

September 15, 2026September 14, 2026

Heart Cancer Is Rare

Heart cancer is rare. Skin cancer is the most common form, occurring in about one in five people during their lifetimes. Liver cancer affects about one in 100. However, heart cancer develops in only about one in 50,000 people. When it does occur, it usually does not begin in the heart but metastasizes from another area of the body.

The fact that heart cancer is rare is connected with the slow regeneration of heart cells. The body maintains itself by regenerating cells. When cells are damaged, the body replaces them automatically with new cells. When new cells are formed, mutations are possible, and sometimes mutations can cause the regeneration process to go beyond what’s necessary. When new cells continue to grow exponentially, they form masses, which we call malignancies.

The uncontrolled growth of these new cells takes over and robs the body of energy needed for other functions. The faster cells regenerate, the greater the chance of mutations, which increases the possibility of uncontrolled cell growth. When a person smokes or uses tobacco, it affects the lungs, throat, and mouth, causing damage to those tissues and prompting those cells to be regenerated. This increased regeneration raises the chance of mutations and cancer in those areas.

Heart cancer is rare, in part because heart cells regenerate very slowly. Less than half of the heart cells you had when you were born will be replaced during your lifetime. However, your skin cells regenerate completely in less than two months. The slow regeneration of heart cells is apparently a major reason why heart cancer is rare. In some animals, such as amphibians, heart cells regenerate much more quickly. In mammals and humans, regeneration is much slower. Instead of making new cells, the heart develops scar tissue. The trade-off is that the heart is durable and functional from birth to natural death in humans.

Skin cells regenerate quickly, which is good because skin is exposed and easily damaged. At the same time, it means there’s a greater danger of skin cancer. Other parts of your body that are mistreated in various ways, such as your lungs from smoking or your liver from alcohol, must regenerate damaged cells, resulting in an increased risk of cancer. God’s design of our bodies is truly amazing. Many of the health problems we face stem from our misuse of the gift God has given us. Being good stewards of God’s gifts benefits us in many ways, including a longer and healthier life.

Reference: popsci.com

September 14, 2026September 13, 2026

Jesus Was Not Forecasting the Weather

In Matthew 16:2, Jesus quoted a weather slogan that shepherds and sailors used. You have probably heard it as “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.” In the culture Jesus addressed, you might substitute “shepherds” for “sailors.” Although this proverb contains some truth, Jesus was not forecasting the weather.

Science explains that ancient slogan. A red sky appears when dust and small particles are trapped in a high-pressure area and scatter blue light, making red predominant. As the Sun sets in the west and, in the mid-latitudes, the prevailing winds are from the west, that indicates a high-pressure zone is on the way, bringing fair weather. A red sky as the Sun rises in the east indicates that the high pressure has moved on and a wet or windy low-pressure system may be approaching. But, as I said, Jesus was not forecasting the weather.

Jesus had just fed over 4,000 people by the Sea of Galilee with seven loaves of bread and a few small fish (see Matthew 15:29-38). Then He got into a boat and went across to Magadan on the other side of the lake. There, His adversaries, the Pharisees and Sadducees, tested Him by asking for a sign to prove that He was really from God. Jesus responded by quoting that weather proverb. Then He called them a “wicked and adulterous generation.” He told them that He would give them no sign except for “the sign of Jonah.” What is the sign of Jonah?

The point Jesus was making was that there would be a very special sign, a miracle, to show that He was from God. Jesus had performed many miracles, including the recent feeding of more than 4,000 people with a tiny amount of food. No sign was going to convince the Pharisees of His divine nature. The special sign to come would be the only miracle Jesus ever predicted in advance. Jesus was not forecasting the weather or trying to impress the Pharisees. Without further explanation, Jesus left the questioners and walked away.

But what is the sign of Jonah? Go back a few chapters to Matthew 12:38-40. Jesus had just restored a man who was blind and mute, but the Pharisees accused Him of doing this by the power of the devil. Unsatisfied with the miracle Jesus had just performed, they challenged Him, “Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.” Jesus replied that He would give them no sign “except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Then He explained what that sign is. “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Jesus was predicting His resurrection from the grave. This was much more important than the daily weather. In both instances described in Matthew 12 and 16, Jesus had just performed a miracle when the Pharisees asked for a sign from heaven. Jesus knew they wouldn’t pay attention to any miracle He could show them. Only one miracle would impact Jesus’ disciples, making them fearless messengers who risked their lives to take the message of the resurrection to the world. There would be nothing the Pharisees and Sadducees could do to stop it. Neither can today’s enemies of Jesus Christ stop the message of the resurrection. Jesus was not forecasting the weather, but predicting something that would change the world.

Reference: metoffice.gov.uk

September 11, 2026September 10, 2026

Insects Are God’s Tools

One of my neighbors is a mechanical genius – he can fix anything. The secret to his success is that he has a tool for every situation. It is one thing to have a tool, and another to know how to find it. When he needs a screw with a special design, width, and length, he can go to a drawer full of screws and a tool rack full of screwdrivers and have exactly what he needs to do the job. Insects are God’s tools.

Recent studies have shown that scientists have vastly undercounted insect species. Entomologist Laura Melissa Guzman of Cornell University, writing in Science News, says that previous insect species counts of six million are way too low and that the actual count is at least 14 million species and may be as high as 20 million.

The question is why so many species exist, and the reason is that insects are God’s tools to sustain life on planet Earth. Insects serve in many ways. For example, flowers must be pollinated to produce seeds that will grow into new flowers. To pollinate flowers of various sizes and shapes, insects of various sizes and shapes are God’s tools for that purpose. While some insects have particular jobs, others help control insect populations. Scientists have identified over 2,400 species of parasitoid wasps that do this.

Like my neighbor, who has the right tool for every situation, insects are God’s tools for every situation. Guzman writes, “It’s humbling how much we don’t know and how much we have left to know.” Everywhere we look in the world, we see a wonder-working hand has gone before. Insects are another of the things God has created to enable life to exist on our planet.

Reference: Science News, September 2026, page 26